Dark Phantom
by ejwalker
Summary: A master thief can steal absolutely anything, right? So why not steal Luminous's darkness? It wasn't like Luminous wanted the stuff... Oneshot.


-Heroes' safe house in Elluel-

The moment Mercedes walked into the dining room, Luminous recognized the expression on her face. He had seen it twice already this morning.

"Luminous..."

"I know," he sighed. "I _did_ look in the mirror. The phenomenon has also been brought to my attention by Aran and Evan, who are currently searching my room for evidence as to how this occurred. Not that I really expect them to find anything..."

Thundering footsteps gave warning of Aran's approach in time for Mercedes to quickly step out of the doorway, just before he came charging through it.

"Luminous!" Aran exclaimed breathlessly. "We found..." Panting, he held the item out to Luminous.

"Phantom's calling card," observed Luminous. "And why is this so urgent that you must nearly trample Mercedes in getting it to me?"

"Sorry," Aran said quickly to the elf queen. He pushed the card into Luminous's hand. "Read what it says on the back."

Luminous flipped the card over. Phantom's flamboyant cursive writing mocked him. _Since you didn't want it anyway..._ Luminous showed the card to Mercedes.

"Impossible!" she gasped.

"Phantom excels at the impossible," Luminous reminded her. "If anyone could figure out a way to steal something intangible, it would be him."

"Are you angry, Luminous?" asked Aran cautiously.

"No," the light mage assured him. "My short temper, if you remember, was only a result of the Black Mage's darkness in me, and Phantom has somehow managed to steal that. I might be relieved, if I were not so worried about the idiotic thief... He is already a nuisance; who knows what kind of trouble he might get into now?"

"So you're not angry?"

"No. I am annoyed. Phantom frequently has that effect on me. Where is he?"

"Not in the house. Evan and I looked everywhere."

"Where's Evan?" asked Mercedes.

"He took Mir and went to find Phantom," Aran replied.

"WHAT?" shouted Luminous.

"Uh... please don't get angry," Aran said nervously, taking a step back. "Was he not supposed to do that?"

"We do not know what to expect from Phantom right now," Luminous said, lowering his voice with effort. "If he is as unstable as I was, it could be dangerous to confront him. But to go alone... Foolishness!" He shook his head. "I thought Evan was more mature than this."

"He's not alone. Mir went with him."

Luminous stared helplessly at Aran, then sat down heavily in a nearby chair. "Mercedes... would you care to explain?"

The elf queen laughed. "I'm with him on this one. Evan isn't a little boy anymore, and nobody could mistake Mir for a lizard now. I think they can handle one wayward master thief."

"One _unpredictable_ master thief," shuddered Luminous. "He was bad enough before he stole my darkness. Whatever put such an outrageous idea into his head?"

"I don't know," shrugged Mercedes. "You can ask him when Evan brings him back. Unless you think Evan needs rescued?"

The light mage frowned. "I suppose we could give him a chance... How long do you think I should wait to start panicking?"

* * *

-A couple hours later-

Aran was pacing up and down the hall. He turned as the door opened. "Evan! You're back!" He sounded very relieved.

Evan grinned. "Did ya miss me?"

"Luminous did. He says he's not angry, but I can't relax when he keeps scowling like he does..."

The young dragon master chuckled. "Luminous, I'm back!" he called loudly. "You can stop worrying now; Phantom didn't give me any problems."

"Is he okay?" asked Luminous anxiously as he came out of the dining room, followed by Mercedes. "You did not hurt each other too badly?"

"We didn't fight at all," Evan said. "I told him he needed to come with me, and then he tried to get away. I think it's against a thief's morals to not at least pretend he's trying to escape... He's with Mir." He led them outside. "I'd bring him in the house, but he's too heavy for me to move."

"I heard that! I'm not fat."

"I didn't say you were. Shush, or I'll have Mir chuck you through the doorway."

"You could just make him put me down and let me walk in..."

Phantom was hanging by his collar from Mir's mouth. He had his ankles crossed and his arms folded, probably trying to look unruffled by the fact that his boots were several inches above the ground. Mercedes did her best to keep from laughing.

"Well?" demanded the thief. "I don't really think you wanted me back here just so you could watch me dangle from a dragon's teeth. Or did you?"

Luminous marched forward and got straight to the point. "Did you steal the dark power that the Black Mage tainted me with?"

"Of course I did. You found my card, didn't you? Wait, don't tell me you actually want it _back_?"

Luminous stared at Phantom's eyes, both of which were still amethyst purple. "What did you do with it?" he growled. "Power like that is dangerous to leave floating around."

"Do with it?" repeated Phantom. "Why, nothing. It's right here." He slapped himself on the chest, and a shining band of something around his wrist gave off a jingling noise. "I know how dangerous it is. Why else do you think I let Evan put me in these ridiculous restraints?" He shook his other wrist, which bore a matching magical bracelet.

The dragon master sighed. "Phantom. Stop playing with the cuffs."

Phantom grinned. "It makes him feel like he's taken suitable precautions. And they make such nice ringing sounds. Ding, dong, dingy-dong..."

"Forget the ding-dong," said Mercedes, rolling her eyes. "How can you have the darkness? You don't look any different."

Phantom snorted, and took his hat off. His hair was a different color now, a pale color that wasn't exactly white, grey, or silver, possibly because it still had a touch of blond to it. "Is moon-colored hair different enough for you, your majesty?"

She nodded speechlessly.

Phantom plopped the hat back on his head. "Any other questions?"

"Can you give the dark back to Luminous?" asked Aran. "Or is it stuck in you now?"

"Why would he want it back? He didn't seem too happy to have it in the first place. _Did_ you want it back, Lumi? Just when your eyes finally match again?"

Luminous looked like he was about to start sputtering, so Mercedes stepped in. "He's just concerned about you, Phantom. If the corruption affected him so badly, what is it going to do to you, since you're..."

"Already corrupt?" snickered Phantom. "But that's exactly why I'll be fine. Luminous was a good boy before he fought the Black Mage. Righteous instrument of justice and all that... How often do you think he had a random urge to do something evil?"

"Not very," admitted Evan. "But isn't that a good thing?"

"Of course it is," Phantom agreed. "However, when he got corrupted, all of a sudden he had to fight off a whole lot of evil urges, and he had no experience at it. I have wicked ideas all the time, so I'm used to ignoring them. A little more corruption won't harm me like it does Luminous, and a little extra controllable power _will_ harm the Black Mage when we face him again."

The light mage looked thoughtful. "Phantom, you have a very devious mind."

"I know," smirked Phantom.

Just then Mir shook his head violently and said something unintelligible.

"All right, already. Shaking me only makes _my_ teeth hurt," the thief complained when he had stopped flopping about.

"You understood that?" Aran asked in surprise.

"He wants to know if he can put me down yet," said Phantom. "Of course I understood; the vibrations traveled through every bone in my body!"

Mercedes couldn't help it any longer; she collapsed in a pile of helpless laughter.

Evan blinked at the undignified elf queen, then took a deep breath. "Yes, Mir, I guess you can put him down. Unless somebody objects?"

No one did.


End file.
